Top of the Great Era

Chapter 2994: Twice Intercepted

Zhou Buqi wants to develop the online education industry and he must take over Coursera.

This matter was discussed yesterday.

The educational website Lynda that Mr. Wen wants to acquire focuses on "extracurricular knowledge" and contains many lectures by celebrities, charging $25 per month.

Coursera is different. It cooperates with major universities around the world and puts videos of lectures by famous teachers from major universities online. It is more professional and allows students from different countries to learn from lectures by famous professors from famous universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and Oxford on the Internet.

It has even expanded to China and has reached cooperation with Tsinghua University and Peking University. Many of their classroom teaching materials are also placed on this website.

The company's founder, Andrew Wu, also known as Wu Zengda in Chinese, has a dream to enable everyone in the world to receive high-quality, free education. However, it is not so easy to implement. Those non-profit online education websites are often poorly done and small in scale.

The reason why Coursera was able to succeed is that it launched several rounds of financing in the capital market.

This means Coursera has to make money.

If users want to watch lecture videos from major universities, they need to purchase a Coursera membership, which costs $20 per month.

It can be said that there is great complementarity between Coursera and Lynda in their businesses.

As long as these two websites are taken over, Ziweixing International’s online education industry will have a basic framework.

When he arrived in New York, Zhou Buqi had to meet all kinds of people.

I also met artificial intelligence expert Andrew Wu with Sam Altman. With the relationship with the educational website Coursera, everything was easier to say. Sister Zhen Yu participated in the B and C rounds of investment and had already helped them.

Now, it's time to decide.

  Since you are Chinese, why don’t you join Ziweixing International?

What's more, he can also join with his entrepreneurial project.

He said he would think about it.

Baidu has been contacting him for several months and has been waiting for his response.

Zhou Buqi was not in a hurry at all.

Before the IPO, Ziweixing International will not engage in any mergers and acquisitions in the market.

After returning home, Zhen Yu was still a little worried, "Do you think he will agree?"

Zhou Buqi asked: "Who? That scientist?"

"Ah."

"I don't believe he can reject me. I've come in person, how can he not give me face? Is he really going to join Baidu?"

"The position Baidu offers is high, Chief Scientist, and you can't give it to him."

Senior Sister Zhen Yu felt that this was not an easy task.

Joining Baidu does not mean returning to China to work. Baidu's artificial intelligence research and development business is also in Silicon Valley. Andrew Wu joined and is responsible for this business.

Zhou Buqi was silent for a while. He changed his clothes and came out to say slowly, "I don't believe he can give up the opportunity to sell Coursera to Ziweixing International. Whether it is pursuing wealth or pursuing ideals, Ziweixing International is the best choice. If he goes to Baidu, at most he will have a higher position and more power."

Zhen Yu nodded slightly, "Then money is definitely the most important thing."

"By the way, how much money is in our account now?"

"A total of... $55 billion!"

"so much!"

Zhou Buqi was also quite shocked.

Zhen Yu chuckled and said, "This year, there are $4 million in debt due to be paid, and about $5.6 million in debt interest. This deducts $10 billion. What are your plans for the remaining money?"

Zhou Buqi said: "Leave a portion for household expenses, and invest the rest!"

Zhen Yu would definitely listen to the man's advice on such an important matter. "Who should I invest in? Microsoft?"

"Ok?"

Zhou Buqi's expression immediately became serious.

Zhen Yu was also startled when she saw his expression change slightly, "Isn't that right? Haven't you always been optimistic about Microsoft?"

"Uh..." Zhou Buqi was a little unsure. "The situation has changed a little. It's hard to say how much growth Microsoft can have in the future. Ziweixing International has blocked Microsoft in two major businesses."

Before this, Zhou Buqi had always respected Microsoft.

He thought Microsoft had a chance to soar. However, as the business progressed to this point, he gradually noticed something was wrong.

Microsoft's subsequent market value explosion was mainly due to two sectors.

First, it is cloud computing.

Second, it is artificial intelligence.

Microsoft Cloud's counterattack has greatly advanced and developed rapidly in market share. A very important part of the reason is that it acquired LinkedIn, obtained LinkedIn's high-quality data and elite users, and opened up the relationship between enterprises and enterprise users.

But now, Zhou Buqi wants to intercept him halfway, and he has set his sights on LinkedIn!

Without LinkedIn, will Microsoft Cloud be able to rise as strongly as it did in the past?

After Ziwei Cloud acquires LinkedIn, it will surely be even more powerful and further consolidate its leading position in the cloud computing industry.

AI……

This is even more embarrassing.

In the past, Microsoft's development in the field of artificial intelligence was actually very weak, far behind Google. The reason why it quickly rose against the trend and surpassed Google was because Microsoft's artificial intelligence business was too poor, so it could not do it itself and had to invest in external companies.

They invested in OpenAI, investing hundreds of billions of dollars.

Then the bet was made.

Relying on the strategic relationship with ChatGPT, Microsoft has become the darling of the times and stood on the crest of the artificial intelligence wave. Its market value has exceeded the 3 trillion US dollar mark and has long remained the world's number one.

This life is different.

Boss Zhou got the upper hand again!

Sam Altman has joined Ziweixing International and has begun recruiting and building a team to help Boss Zhou develop an exclusive generative AI model.

  Microsoft's chance is over!

These two interceptions can be said to be more deadly than the last.

  Is Microsoft's future really okay?

Zhou Buqi no longer has a blind admiration for Microsoft, and he really needs to be cautious when buying Microsoft stock, as its growth prospects are definitely not as good as in his previous life.

Senior Sister Zhen Yu frowned slightly, "What should we do? I have already converted all of our Google shares into Microsoft shares as you said."

Zhou Buqi analyzed and said: "Microsoft is currently in a trough period, and Nadella's work is definitely better than Ballmer's. Therefore, in the next two or three years, Microsoft's market value will definitely have a big explosion, and it will not be too difficult to increase two or three times."

"That's fine."

Zhen Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhou Buqi went on to say: “However, it is probably unrealistic to expect to get ten, fifteen or twenty times the profit from Microsoft. I have already blocked the road to cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Even Microsoft may not be able to break through.”

Zhen Yu understood what he meant, "So Microsoft is not worth investing in for the long term?"

Zhou Buqi pondered and said, "Actually, there is no need to be too anxious. Within two years, slowly sell all Microsoft stocks and exchange them for other stocks, such as Apple, Amazon, TSMC... By the way, have you bought Nvidia stocks?"

“Yes, I bought both Nvidia and AMD.”

"How much did you buy?"

"Buy slowly, it hasn't crossed the line yet." Zhen Yu was not in a hurry. "It's stuck below 5%. Next, I will find an opportunity to break through the 5% indicator line. However, if it exceeds 5%, it would be best if you come forward and contact the boards of directors of NVIDIA and AMD to explain your purpose to them. We are only investing financially and nothing else is involved to avoid misunderstandings."

Nvidia and AMD are competitors.

Buying stocks of both companies means it will be difficult to enter the board of directors of both companies, otherwise you will be suspected of being a double agent.

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, "Yes, it is a financial investment. Just aim for about 10%, but not too much. If it's too much, I'm afraid it will scare them, as if I'm trying to gain control."

Zhen Yu said softly: "The market capitalization of these two semiconductor companies is too small. It won't take 20 billion US dollars to deal with them. In my opinion..."

"Ok?"

"Since Microsoft and Google have stopped investing, there really aren't many good investment targets left. I might as well pay back the money first to avoid worrying my family."

"worry about what?"

Zhou Buqi never worried about money.

Zhen Yu said, "This is different. Many people in the family have very traditional financial views, such as Aunt Xue, Wen Zhixia, and even Ning Yameng. They know that the family owes billions of dollars, so they are reluctant to spend money and just think that every penny they can save is a penny. If the debt is paid off, they will feel at ease and can spend money with more confidence, without worrying."

Zhou Buqi waved his hand and said, "You decide! You are in charge of the money anyway!"